A few years ago, Sandra Smith had a
stubborn lung infection that left her
bedridden at the Foothills Medical
Centre in Calgary. Because she has
cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that
attacks the lungs and digestive system,
she had plenty of lung infections
before, but this time, her medical team
wasn’t able to clear it up with the usual
therapies. And because lung infections
can cause permanent tissue damage in
people with her condition, the situation
was dire.

But by a stroke of luck, a graduate
student at the hospital had been
studying a rare bacterium that can
hide in the lungs. “It turned out that
I was one of the few people who had
it,” says Smith. Soon, she was put on
the right antibiotics and the infection
went away.

As Smith recovered in hospital,the researcher even visited Smith toteach her about the bacterium. It wasa fascinating look behind the curtain,she says. “So many things happenbehind the scenes … but I knew howmany hours he had spent working onthis in the basement of the hospital.”Those with good health may neverget such an up-close-and-personalexperience with research. However,every Albertan—even the healthiestamong us—has benefited from healthresearch, says Dr. Kathryn Todd,the vice president of Research,Innovation and Analytics for AlbertaHealth Services.Almost every aspect of the health-care system is and needs to be whatshe calls evidence based or informedby good, solid research. If you’ve hada childhood vaccine, taken antibioticsfor strep throat, met with a diabetesnurse educator, received nutritionadvice from a registered dietitian, orhad an ultrasound during pregnancy,you’ve experienced health research inaction. “I believe if you want to havehigh-quality, innovative patient care,everything you do must be evidence-informed,” Todd says.

Searching for answersclose to home

A good part of the research that
benefits patients was started in
Alberta’s academic institutions and
produced by university researchers
(often with partners such as AHS).

A great deal of important researchhappens within AHS, too.“Sometimes we have specificquestions that the system needsanswered,” Todd says. “For example,what particular medications should webe giving to residents in our long-termcare facilities? Or, how can we at AHSbest improve our patients’ recoveryafter surgery? We are driving researchto address these types of questions andwe’ll find the best evidence for answersthrough the partnerships AHS haswith the universities.”A huge amount of health researchis happening in all areas of sciencein the province right now. And formany years, Alberta has contributedto research at both national andinternational levels, thanks to fundingand support from a number of sources,including Alberta Innovates – HealthSolutions, the province’s healthresearch management organization.One better-known researchachievement is the University ofAlberta’s islet transplantation program.The program uses a surgical techniquepioneered in Alberta to transplantdonated islet cells from the pancreas

Alberta has contributed to researchat both national and international levels